Drinks

Rich Italian reds are complex, high-quality

Valpolicella, which is located in the Veneto region in northeastern Italy, is best known for the richly concentrated, raisiny Amarone produced there.

But before these reds go through the long process to become Amarone, they start out as medium-bodied wines with fruity, minty and herbaceous characteristics that make a good alternative to pinot noir (especially as the price of American pinot keeps rising).

The first level of classification is the light and fruity Valpolicella. It is followed by Valpolicella Superiore, which must be aged for a minimum of one year in oak, and therefore tends to be bigger and more complex.

Ripasso wines are produced when the Valpolicella wine is mixed with the seeds and stems of Amarone grapes, becoming even more rich and complex.

Valpolicella Classico comes from the region's traditional wine growing center. The Classico vineyards, which may be any classification level, are often considered to be the highest quality.

We tasted five Valpolicella wines under $20. The results follow.

Wine of the week:

2004 Allegrini Valpolicella Classico

- Price: $16.99.

- Aroma: Suggested creaminess and fruity candy such as soft taffy.

- Palate: Tart and mouthwatering.

- Verdict: It had a silky creamy texture flavored with menthol and licorice, plus notes of wintergreen that began subtly but built to a striking finish. This was our favorite in the tasting. We loved the fruit-forward nose and overall creaminess of this wine. This winemaker is one of the most respected in the Valpolicella community, and our panel could see why.

2003 Santi Solane Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore

- Price: $14.99.

- Aroma: We smelled cocoa, cherry and mint.

- Palate: Cocoa, sour cherries, cherry stems.

- Verdict: This wine had a rich nose followed by a tart palate. Our panel thought it would be good with charred steak, and voted it our second favorite.

Contact Frank Sutherland at fsutherland(AT)gmail.com. Frank and his daughter Kate Sutherland's wine-tasting group consists of representatives from the five wine distributors in Nashville, Tenn., a wine collector, a sommelier and food columnist Thayer Wine.